Revenue dips at Mississippi coastal casinos in May

Revenue for Mississippi casinos dropped about $2 million in May from April. The Mississippi Department of Revenue released figures Wednesday that casinos took in $185.3 million may compared to $187 million in April.

John Fitzhugh, Sun Herald via APTechnicians prepare some of the slot machines at Margaritaville Casino and Restaurant in Biloxi, Miss., last month.

And the figures showed casino revenue was 26 percent higher in May than a year ago, when river casinos were forced to close by Mississippi River flooding. In May, the coastal casinos took in $90 million about $3 million less than April; the river casinos, from Tunica to Natchez, collected $94.3 million only slightly higher than the $93.7 million in April.

Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Casino was open 10 days in May but made little difference on revenue figures from the coastal casinos. The 12 casinos winnings in May were $5 million, or 5 percent, less than a year ago.

The MDOR figures continue to show a slow start to the year. Coast casino revenue was up in February, March and April compared with this time a year ago. Despite the dip in May, coast casinos remain ahead of 2011's winnings at this point by about $500,000.